Casino War
Casino War is one card against the dealer's: the higher card wins even money. If the cards tie, you either surrender half your bet or go to war by adding a second bet. Always go to war: it gives the house 2.88% of your first bet, against 3.70% if you surrender. Skip the tie bet, which costs 18.65% at 10 to 1.
| Chance or house edge | |
|---|---|
| Your card is higher | 46.30% |
| The dealer's card is higher | 46.30% |
| The cards tie | 7.40% |
| Always go to war on a tie | house edge 2.88% |
| Go to war, with a bonus for a tie in the war | house edge 2.33% |
| Surrender on a tie | house edge 3.70% |
| Tie bet at 10 to 1 | house edge 18.65% (11.25% at 11 to 1) |
How a round works
- Place your bet.
- You and the dealer each get one card. Aces are high, and suits don't matter.
- The higher card wins even money.
- On a tie, choose: surrender and lose half your bet, or go to war by adding a bet equal to your first.
- In a war, the dealer burns three cards, then deals one card to you and one to the dealer.
- If your card is equal or higher, your war bet wins even money and your first bet is returned. If the dealer's card is higher, you lose both.
Some casinos also pay your first bet at even money when the war cards tie again. That bonus lowers the house edge from 2.88% to 2.33%.
Why you should go to war
Going to war wins 53.70% of the time, because a tie in the war counts as your win. But you win $10 when it wins and lose $20 when it loses, so from a tie on a $10 bet it costs you $3.89 on average. Surrendering costs $5 every time. That's why going to war every time beats surrendering.
A round, step by step
You bet $10. You get a 9 and the dealer gets a 9: a tie. You go to war and add $10. The dealer burns three cards, then deals you a queen and the dealer a 7. Your war bet wins $10 and your first $10 comes back: you're up $10. Had you surrendered, you'd have lost $5.
Mistakes that cost money
- Surrendering. It costs 3.70% against 2.88% for going to war.
- The tie bet. It wins 7.40% of the time, so fair odds would be about 12.5 to 1. At 10 to 1 it costs 18.65%.
Questions
What happens if you tie again in a war?
Your war bet wins even money and your first bet is returned. Some casinos also pay your first bet.
Is Casino War a good bet?
A middling one. Its 2.88% is a little more than single-zero roulette (2.70%), about half of double-zero roulette (5.26%), and more than twice the Banker bet in baccarat (1.06%).
Does the number of decks matter?
A little: with one deck the house edge is 2.42%, with six 2.88%, with eight 2.90%.
More table games: baccarat rules · Let It Ride · roulette.
How we checked. By the casin.com team. Last checked November 6, 2026. We worked out the odds with our own program, which counts every possible deal from a six-deck shoe; burn cards don't change the odds. The results match the published figures of the Wizard of Odds (wizardofodds.com).
